Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 1 Thessalonians 2:18

"because we would fain have come unto you, I Paul once and again; and Satan hindered us." — 1 Thessalonians 2:18 (ASV)

Therefore, as if he were not satisfied with his already-overwhelming expressions of his feeling for the Thessalonians, Paul proceeds to prove his longing to see them. It is his personal inclination and purpose. The tug on his heart is manifest in the words “certainly I, Paul.” Though Timothy and Silas had already returned to Thessalonica, Paul’s failure to do so did not come from lack of intention; he had attempted a visit several times.

What could hinder such intense desire? It must be nothing less than Satanic hindrance. The hindrance was probably not the demands of missionary work elsewhere, since it is not the enemy’s purpose to encourage such work. Restraint by civil officials in Thessalonica and opposition from local Jews are other possibilities, but these would hardly be sufficient to prevent Paul’s return. A more plausible identification of the hindrance might be his illness (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:7), even though this would require the “us” to refer only to Paul. The real existence of a personal and supernatural devil is incontrovertible. His present activity in opposing God is only a foretaste of heightened opposition to be launched in the future through his special human representative just prior to Jesus’ personal return to earth (2 Thessalonians 2:3–12).